THE nation may turn to nuclear power as part of its strategy to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050, with Deputy Minister Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir stating that the nation must re-evaluate its entire energy framework, including the role of nuclear energy.
Malaysia may need to adopt nuclear energy to accelerate its goal of achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050, said Deputy Minister of Energy Transition and Water Transformation, Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir.
“We need to maintain capability, sustainability and security of supply. Where will we replace our baseload sources?
“… so while nuclear energy is not considered renewable, it is viewed as a form of clean energy. So if you ask me, from my perspective, I believe that without nuclear energy, we may not achieve our net zero target by 2050,” he said.
Akmal Nasrullah was speaking as a panellist during a dialogue session titled ‘Delivering Malaysia's Energy Transition’ at the Energy Asia 2025 conference held today.
He emphasised that when the National Energy Transition Roadmap (NETR) was launched in 2023, the focus extended beyond energy production or transition to include the changing dynamics of energy consumption.
The NETR aims for renewable sources to comprise 70 per cent of Malaysia’s energy mix by 2050, with solar and hydro expected to lead the way, and natural gas serving as a transitional fuel.
He said that both the government and the public must accept the reality of adopting nuclear power to support the nation’s net zero ambitions.
“So keep in mind, this (the use of nuclear energy) is something we need to consider.
“We do have our own plans, but hopefully when the government decides to implement nuclear energy comprehensively, not only the government, but the public must also be ready to accept the fact that to reach net zero by 2050, nuclear is the way forward,” he said. - June 17, 2025
